Hot Water Generator

ABSTRACT

Disclosed is a hot water generator comprising: a housing having a water inlet, a water outlet, and an inner space; and a heater disposed in the inner space of the housing, wherein the housing is provided with a helical flow formation unit which enables water flowing into the inner space to helically spin and flow along an outer surface of the heater.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a hot water generator.

BACKGROUND ART

Generally, a hot water generator provided in a bidet includes a housing, a ceramic heater mounted in the housing, and a fixing member for fixing the ceramic heater to the housing.

The housing and the ceramic heater have a cylindrical shape, and are usually disposed coaxially. The fixing member is provided with a water inlet communicating with an inside of the ceramic heater, and a housing having a water outlet.

Therefore, water flowing into the water inlet passes through the inside of the ceramic heater, flows along the outside of the ceramic heater, and is discharged through the water outlet.

When water flows inside the ceramic heater, the water is heated while in contact with an inner wall of the ceramic heater. When water flows outside of the ceramic heater, the water is heated while in contact with an outer wall of the ceramic heater, and the heated water is discharged to the water outlet.

However, the hot water generator thus configured has a simple flow path, such that water passing through the heater does not sufficiently contact a heat generating surface of the heater, which causes heat a waste of heat.

(Patent Document 1) Korean Patent Publication No. KR 10-1504642

DISCLOSURE Technical Problem

An aspect of the present disclosure may provide a hot water generator capable of increasing efficiency of a heater for generating hot water.

Technical Solution

According to an aspect of the present disclosure, a hot water generator comprises: a housing having a water inlet, a water outlet, and an internal space; and a heater disposed in the internal space of the housing, wherein the housing is provided with a helical flow formation unit which enables water flowing into the internal space to helically spin and flow along an external surface of the heater.

The housing may include a body having first and second tubular portions having a circular tubular shape into which the heater is insertedly disposed, a cap member coupled to one end of the body, and a heater installation member coupled to the other end of the body and having the heater installed thereon.

A flow path portion for guiding a flow path of water may be provided at one end of the body, the flow path portion may be configured such that an interval of a flow path portion connected to the first tubular portion is greater than an interval of a flow path portion connected to the second tubular portion.

A ratio of the interval of the flow path portion connected to the first tubular portion and the interval of the flow path portion connected to the second tubular portion may be 2:1.

The heater may have first and second heaters and have a bar shape having a circular cross-section. The housing may have first and second tubular portions having a circular tubular shape into which the heater is insertedly disposed.

The helical flow formation unit may be formed as a protrusion or a groove formed in an internal surface of the first and second tubular portions.

A pitch of the helical flow formation unit formed on the internal surface of the first tubular portion may be greater than a pitch of the helical flow formation unit formed on the internal surface of the second tubular portion.

The water inlet and the water outlet may be disposed on the other end of the body.

Advantageous Effects

It is possible to increase efficiency of a heater by increasing a contact time with the heater and to obtain hot water of a target temperature.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a hot water generator according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a hot water generator according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 3 is a front view illustrating one end portion of a housing provided in the hot water generator according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure; and

FIG. 4 is a partially cutaway perspective view illustrating a body of a housing provided in a hot water generator according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure.

DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

100: HOT WATER GENERATOR

120: HOUSING

160: HEATER

BEST MODE FOR INVENTION

Hereinafter, embodiments in the present disclosure will be described hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings. The disclosure may, however, be exemplified in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the specific embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. In the drawings, the same reference numerals will be used throughout to designate the same or like elements, and the shapes and dimensions of elements may be exaggerated for clarity.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a hot water generator according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure, FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a hot water generator according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure, and FIG. 3 is a front view illustrating one end portion of a housing provided in the hot water generator according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, a hot water generator 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include a housing 120 and a heater 160.

The housing 120 has a water inlet 122 and a water outlet 124 and has an internal space. Meanwhile, the housing 120 may include a body 130 having first and second tubular portions 132 and 134 having a circular tubular shape into which the heater 160 is insertedly disposed, a cap member 140 coupled to one end of the body 130, and a heater installation member 150 coupled to the other end of the body 130 and having the heater 160 installed thereon.

Meanwhile, in the present embodiment, although a case in which the first and second tubular portions 132 and 134 have circular tubular shapes, is described, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and a shape of the first and second tubular portions 132 and 134 maybe variously changed. The shape of the first and second tubular portions 132 and 134 may have a rectangular tubular shape.

In addition, the water inlet 122 is formed at one end portion of the first tubular portion 132, and the water outlet 134 is formed at one end portion of the second tubular portion 134.

Water flows into the first tubular portion 132 through the water inlet 122 and flows into the second tubular portion 134 passing through the first tubular portion 132. Thereafter, water passes through the second tubular portion 134 and flows outside of the housing through the water outlet 124 of the second tubular portion 134.

In addition, the housing 120 may be provided with a helical flow formation unit 136 which enables the water flowing into the internal space to helically spin and flow along an external surface of the heater 160.

The helical flow formation unit 136 may be composed of a protrusion or a groove formed on the internal surfaces of the first and second tubular portions 132 and 134.

Meanwhile, a pitch P1 of the helical flow formation unit 136 formed on the internal surface of the first tubular portion 132 and a pitch P2 of the helical flow formation unit 136 formed on the internal surface of the second tubular portion 134 may be the same as each other.

A flow path portion 138 for guiding the flow path of water is provided at one end of the body 130. An interval (a) of the flow path portion 138 connected to the first tubular portion 132 may be greater than an interval (b) of the flow path portion 138 connected to the second tubular portion 134.

For example, a ratio of the interval (a) of the flow path portion 138 connected to the first tubular portion 132 and the interval (b) of the flow path portion 138 connected to the second tubular portion 134 may be 2:1.

Accordingly, a flow rate of water, being slowed, passing through the first tubular portion 132 may be increased through the flow path portion 138 to flow into the second tubular portion 134, such that the water may smoothly pass through the second tubular portion 134.

For example, the helical flow formation unit 136 may be formed to have an angle of approximately 60 to 70 degrees with respect to a horizontal surface. Further, a helical pitch interval of the helical flow formation unit 136 may be, for example, approximately 9 to 11 mm.

Meanwhile, when the helical pitch interval of the helical flow formation unit 136 is narrow, a pressure loss may be generated and a hot water stagnation section may be generated. Therefore, as described above, since the helical pitch interval of the helical flow formation unit 136 is approximately 9 to 11 mm, it is possible to reduce occurrence of the hot water stagnation section.

The heater 160 is disposed in the internal space of the housing 120. Meanwhile, the heater 160 may include a first heater 162 disposed inside the first tubular portion 132 and a second heater 164 disposed inside the second tubular portion 134.

For example, the first and second heaters 162 and 164 may be fixedly installed to the heater installation member 150, and the first and second heaters 162 and 164 may have a bar shape having a circular cross-section.

Meanwhile, for example, a minimum interval between an external surface of the first heater 162 and an internal surface of the first tubular portion 132 may be approximately 1 mm.

In other words, when the minimum interval of the first heater 162 and the first tubular portion 132 may be approximately 0.5 mm, pressure loss may be increased by approximately 30%, thereby affecting a water outlet flow rate and generating the hot water stagnation section.

However, since the minimum interval between the first heater 162 and the first tubular portion 132 is approximately 1 mm or more, it is possible to reduce occurrence of the hot water stagnation section due to the pressure loss in the first tubular portion 132.

In addition, the minimum interval between the second heater 164 and the second tubular portion 134 may also be approximately 1 mm.

As described above, the helical flow formation unit 136 enables the water flowed into the housing 120 to helically spin and flow along an external surface of the heater 160.

Accordingly, the efficiency of the heater 160 may be increased by increasing a contact time between the water and the heater 160, such that how water of a target temperature may be obtained.

Hereinafter, a hot water generator according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings.

Meanwhile, the same elements as those described above are replaced with the above description, and the drawings and detailed description thereof will be omitted here.

FIG. 4 is a partially cutaway perspective view illustrating a body of a housing provided in a hot water generator according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 4, a pitch P1 of a helical flow formation unit 236 formed on an internal surface of a first tubular portion 232 may be greater than a pitch P2 of a helical flow formation unit 236 formed on an internal surface of a second tubular portion 234.

Accordingly, the flowing water may be smoothly helically spun from a water inlet 222 to a water outlet 224 and flowed. In other words, since a pitch of the helical flow formation unit 236 at the second tubular portion 234 is reduced, a flow velocity, being slowed at the second tubular portion 234, may be increased, such that the water may be helically spun and the water may be smoothly flowed.

As described above, the water flowed into the housing 120 (referring to. FIG. 2) through the helical flow formation unit 236 may be helically spun along the external surface of the heater 160 and may be flowed. Accordingly, the efficiency of the heater 160 may be increased by increasing the contact time between the water and the heater 160, such that hot water of a target temperature may be obtained.

While exemplary embodiments have been shown and described above, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that modifications and variations could be made without departing from the scope of the present invention, as defined by the appended claims. 

1. A hot water generator, comprising: a housing having a water inlet, a water outlet, and an internal space; and a heater disposed in the internal space of the housing, wherein the housing is provided with a helical flow formation unit which enables water flowing into the internal space to helically spin and flow along an external surface of the heater.
 2. The hot water generator of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises: a body having first and second tubular portions having a circular tubular shape into which the heater is insertedly disposed; a cap member coupled to one end of the body; and a heater installation member coupled to the other end of the body and having the heater installed thereon.
 3. The hot water generator of claim 2, wherein one end of the body is provided with a flow path portion for guiding a flow path of water and in the flow path portion, an interval of the flow path portion, connected to the first tubular portion is greater than an interval of the flow path portion, connected to the second tubular portion.
 4. The hot water generator of claim 3, wherein a ratio of the interval of the flow path portion, connected to the first tubular portion and the interval of the flow path portion, connected to the second tubular portion is 2:1.
 5. The hot water generator of claim 1, wherein the heater is provided with first and second heaters, and has a bar shape having a circular cross-section, and the housing has first and second tubular portions having a circular tubular shape into which the first and second heaters are insertedly disposed.
 6. The hot water generator of claim 5, wherein the helical flow formation unit is composed of a protrusion or a groove formed on internal surfaces of the first and second tubular portions.
 7. The hot water generator of claim 6, wherein a pitch of the helical flow formation unit formed on the internal surface of the first tubular portion is greater than a pitch of the helical flow formation unit formed on the internal surface of the second tubular portion.
 8. The hot water generator of claim 2, wherein the water inlet is disposed on the other end of the first tubular portion and the water outlet is disposed on the other end of the second tubular portion. 